The Heartland Independent
Film Forum, in partnership with
The Michigan Daily, hosted a
launch event Thursday night at
the Ann Arbor Public Library for
an online database containing
every impact statement of the
survivors of Larry Nassar. The
database is intended to aid
students, families, educators and
journalists in understanding this
decades-long pattern of abuse.
About 25 students and Ann Arbor
residents were in attendance.
Larry Nassar, a former USA
Gymnastics
and
Michigan
State University physician, was
sentenced to 40 to 175 years in
prison for sexual abuse of young
girls and women in January.
More than 160 women came
forward in court earlier this year
to testify against him.
The event featured two panels
— the first with survivors sharing
their stories and another with
journalists who covered the trial
and proceedings — sought to
reflect on the scandal and educate
the audience to prevent similar
patterns of abuse in the future.
Roger Rapoport, director of
the Heartland Independent Film
Forum, purchased the records
for the database, which included
1,400 pages of accounts from
survivors. Rapoport, a survivor
himself, said this project would
allow the truth to be shared.
“When I heard about Larry
Nassar case and the courage of
these women … I was so amazed
by what they were saying in court
that I bought the trial transcripts
(with help of donors),” Rapoport
said.
Michigan
Radio
reporter
Kate Wells was also present at
the event. Wells worked on the
podcast “Believed,” which shares
many stories of survivors in
depth. The podcast has already
The
University
of
Michigan’s
Interfraternity
Council
voted
Wednesday
to remove the Alpha Sigma
Phi fraternity from campus,
the Office of Fraternity and
Sorority Life said in a press
release.
Members
of
the
IFC voted unanimously to
terminate Alpha Sigma Phi’s
Theta chapter following an
investigation by the Hazing
Response
Team
regarding
allegations of hazing during
their new member process.
The termination came after
the
Student
Organization
Advancement and Recognition
review process was carried
out by the Greek Activities
Review Panel. The Hazing
Response Team investigation
revealed extensive evidence
of hazing violations, leading
to their removal. The IFC also
specified the fraternity will
be unable to recolonize on the
University campus for at least
five years.
“These
sanction
result
from
a
Hazing
Response
Team
investigation
that
found substantial evidence
of
dangerous
recurring
practices within the Alpha
Sigma
Phi’s
new
member
process,
including
forced
alcohol
consumption
and
violent physical hazing,” the
IFC
statement
reads.
“As
a result, Alpha Sigma Phi
has been removed from the
University of Michigan and
the Interfraternity Council
for a minimum of five (5)
calendar
years,
effective
immediately.”
The removal comes amid
controversy in the Greek life
community
over
the
past
year, including the Nov. 9,
2017 suspension of all social
events
for
the
remainder
of the fall 2017 semester
following sexual assault and
hazing allegations. While the
suspension was self-imposed
by the IFC, the council cited
three near-death incidents
and 30 hospitalizations during
the weekend of the football
game against Michigan State
University.
Social activities resumed
during
the
winter
2018
semester.
In the wake of President
Donald
Trump’s
decision
to
dismissformer
Attorney
General Jeff Sessions, more
than 400 students, faculty
and city residents marched
through Ann Arbor streets
Thursday night to protest the
president’s
announcement
and show support for special
counsel
Robert
Mueller’s
investigation into potential
collusion with Russia during
the 2016 presidential election.
On Wednesday, the day
after the midterm elections,
President
Trump
replaced
Sessions
with
Sessions’s
former Chief of Staff Matthew
Whitaker.
According
to
national
news
outlets,
Trump had reportedly been
disgruntled
with
Sessions
for numerous months, after
Sessions
recused
himself
from
the
Department
of
Justice
investigation
into
Ann
Arbor
City
Council
discussed the implications of
a ballot measure requiring the
creation of a public park in
downtown Ann Arbor as well as
the regulation of Bird scooters at
its meeting Thursday night.
Alan Haber, a community
activist and vocal proponent of
Proposal A, spoke during public
comment about the creation of
a public park on the land next to
the Ann Arbor District Library
following the ballot measure
passage on Tuesday night.
Proposal A, which requires the
city to hold onto the parcel of land
GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No. 28
©2018 The Michigan Daily
N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
C L A S S I F I E D S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 B
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, November 9, 2018
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
Alpha Sigma
Phi kicked
off campus
due to hazing
Daily, film forum launch database
for Nassar survivor statements
CAMPUS LIFE
This is the fourth fraternity to close
this calendar year at the University
REMY FARKAS
Daily Staff Reporter
Survivors, journalists share stories of Nassar case at In Our Own Words launch event
SAYALI AMIN
Daily Staff Reporter
A2 council
discusses
effects of
Proposal A
ANN ARBOR
Council also talks possible
deportation of Guinean
man with kidney disease
LEAH GRAHAM
Daily Staff Reporter
ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily
Students, faculty and Ann Arbor residents march through Ann Arbor to protest the recent dismissal of former Ator-
ney General Jeff Session.
Stop Trump rally protests Sessions
firing, supports Mueller investigation
Hundreds of students, residents march across campus after Trump fires Jeff Sessions
ZACK BLUMBERG
Daily Staff Reporter
michigandaily.com
For more stories and coverage, visit
See NASSAR, Page 3A
See CITY, Page 3A
See VETS, Page 3A
See HAZING, Page 3A
As part of a series of public events
on veterans’ issues in the lead up
to Veteran’s Day, the Veteran and
Military Services Program at the
University of Michigan held a panel
on LGBTQ people in the military
on Thursday. Speakers included
Marine Sergeant Jackie Kelley,
a student at Eastern Michigan
University, and LSA senior Necko
Fanning, a former intelligence
analyst in the U.S. Army.
Anna Schnitzer, event organizer
and a University librarian, asked
the panelists if their sexuality was
an issue during their time in the
military.
LGBT vets
talk of their
identities,
military life
CAMPUS LIFE
Panelists discuss their
challenges, experiences
in the army and marines
HENRY SMITH
For the Daily
Tip-off
The Michigan women’s
basketball team will start its
2018-19 season tomorrow
against Mount St. Mary’s
» Page 1B
DANYEL THARAKAN/Daily
Jessica Smith speaks about her experiences as a survivor of Larry Nasser’s sexual abuse at the In Our Own Words event in the Ann Arbor Downtown Library
Thursday evening.
See PROTEST, Page 3A